Life As We Know It
by SapphoAndCyanide
Summary: Tina and Bette try to get over each other after Bette cheats, but can't. My 1st L Word fic. also some AliceDanaTonya, and MarinaJenny drama. R&R Pleez!


**_Life as we know it_**

**_Author's Note: _**Welcome to my rant. Ok, first off I'm am so totally embarrassed because I got all proactive trying to get this show on here. And obviously I didn't see it so I put up this stupid rant on my stories, I'm such a spaz. Anyway, I just started watching and about to start with Season 2. This and Charmed are the only 2 shows I've ever been hooked on instantly. Tina's my absolute favorite and I really don't like Bette anymore because of what she did to her. Um, let's see, oh, if you like One Tree Hill I have 2 stories up for that. They're both Peyton/Brooke fics cuz I think they'd be perfect for each other and if the WB would stop being the homophobe capital of TV it could happen. Ehem, any-hoo the fics are called 'Truth or Dare' and 'NeverEnding Love'. That's about it…so—yea.

**_Disclaimer: _**I don't own any of this. There, short, sweet, and to the point.

**_P.S._** If the idea of two women doing anything of the intimate sort (i.e. kissing, hugging w/evr) makes you uncomfortable then wtf are you doing in this category anyway? Shoo!

**_Rating: _**T for language and w/evr else I decide to add.

**_Author: _**Me! Doy!

…--…--…

Chapter 1- 

"…Ti, it's Bette again…" Alice sighed, her hand over the receiver part of the phone so Bette couldn't hear them.

"What does she want?" Tina scoffed, pretending to care. She pulled her legs off the floor and onto the couch with her.

"The same thing she wanted the last thousand times she called; to talk to you."

Tina stuck out her hand, palm up, ready to take the phone. Alice smiled. Tina had been staying with her for almost 2 weeks and she was finally ready to talk to Bette again. She handed her the cordless.

Instead of putting the phone to her ear like Alice had expected Tina chucked it at the wall. It smashed to pieces.

"Christ Tina! I get that you're still pissed at her but that's my phone!" Alice shrieked and knelt down to scoop up what was left of the phone. She shook her head in disbelief, muttering under her breath.

Tina just simply shrugged and turned away from her friend so she couldn't see her crying again. It hurt. It hurt to breath, to move, but most of all it hurt to think about _her_ and what she did.

…--…--…

Bette looked at her phone and frowned. She had called Alice's again as soon as she stepped into her office that morning. She thought she was actually going to be able to talk to Tina this time, but instead of hearing her beautiful voice on the other end she heard a crash and then the line went dead. Her bottom lip trembled. God, she missed her so much. She just wanted her back, but she knew that was a long shot. She had screwed up big time. 7 years together…gone in an instant. She had ruined such a perfect thing; everything was going great here at the museum and they were even going to have a baby…then all at once it all seemed to come crashing down around them when they found out that Tina had had a miscarriage. It all seemed so unreal to Bette then. And then she met Candice…She knew hers' and Tina's relationship had been going downhill since they lost their baby boy and she needed someone to make her feel alive again— to make her feel _anything_ really. She knew it was a huge mistake sleeping with the carpenter, she knew Tina was bound to figure it out sooner or later anyway. _Then why the hell did I do it then?_

She felt a few tears trickle down her cheeks just then there was a knock on the door and James stuck his head in.

"Uh, Bette, sorry to disturb you but Leo needs to see you in his office right away."

Bette nodded and wiped her eyes, sniffling, trying to regain her composure. She got up and walked past him and as she did James patted her sympathetically on the shoulder.

…--…--…

Tina flung her purse over her shoulder and straightened her shirt. "I'm going to work now Al." She said as she headed for the door.

She got off the couch and followed her. Tina had one foot out the door when Alice spoke up.

"Do you still love her?"

She lowered her head, one hand on the doorframe the other on the doorknob. That very question had haunted her since that night at the museum…when she saw them together, her world stopped spinning that exact second. She didn't know though, she didn't know what love was anymore, maybe she never did.

"I don't know," Tina whispered and shut the door behind her.

…--…--…

"You wanted to see me?" Bette asked as she walked into Leo's office.

"Yes, please have a seat Bette." He gestured to a chair in front of his desk. Bette sat down and crossed her legs. She folded her hands together calmly on her lap.

"As you know we had just as much bad press for the Provocations exhibit as we did good. And without you it wouldn't have gone off as smoothly as it did."

"Yes sir, but I'm not the only one who deserves praise. There were the carpenters…" _Candice. _She shuddered to herself before continuing. "…Jimmy was a _huge _help collecting information when Fea Buckly was challenging us and…"

Leo stuck out his hand to signal her to stop talking.

He chuckled. "I'm aware of all of that Bette, really, but what I wanted to talk to about is your performance."

Bette gulped. She didn't like were this was going. "My performance sir?"

Leo nodded. "It's been slightly off the past few weeks. Not as good as it usually is and I know it has something to do with you and your partner separating…"

The brunette raised an eyebrow. How did he know about Tina and her breaking up? It was like her life had been an open book lately. Everyone at the museum had been coming up to her and saying how sorry they were-- people she rarely even spoke to.

"What I'm getting at Ms. Porter is, I'm deeply sorry about what happened, so I'll understand if you want to take a few weeks off to regain your equanimity."

"A-are you firing me?" Bette stuttered sitting up a little bit straighter in the chair.

"No of course not! Never. You're one of the most valuable people here; it's just that you should rest. Just take some time off. After all, we're not scheduled to get another new exhibit in for another month and a half. So things are going to be extremely slow around here." Leo explained.

She nodded. Slowly calming down. "Alright, thank you sir." She stood up and shook his hand. "You know I wouldn't usually agree to something like this but I could really use a holiday."

He smiled sorrowfully at her. "I know, and you deserve it. So get out of here, go home, rest up, and we'll see you in a couple weeks Ms. Porter."

She flashed him the only smile she had allowed herself in 2 weeks and walked out before he could change his mind. Although she really didn't want to go home, because it really wasn't home anymore. It was just an empty, cold house filled with all the memories of what used to be.

Bette pulled up into the driveway about 15 minutes later and got out of her convertible. It felt odd being home this early. It was only noon. She pulled her bag out of the passenger seat and headed up to the front door and jumped when she saw Candice sitting on the front step.

She stood up. "I-I thought we should talk."

Candice was the last person she wanted to see right now but she was right, they needed to talk. "Alright,"

"Do you want some tea?" Bette offered as she pushed some old take-out containers out of the way on the table to make room for her bag. She hadn't really felt like cleaning, there was no point. Just as there was no point in cooking- so when she did eat it was usually take-out.

"That'd be great." Candice smiled awkwardly and sat down at the table. She watched Bette put the kettle on the stove. She looked so defeated, that brightness that was usually noticeable in her brown eyes was gone. Replaced by what she would've described as cold and gray. It was her fault Bette was like this. If only she hadn't kissed her that day Tina and Bette would still be together and everything would've been fine.

Bette set a mug in front of her a few minutes later and sat down across from her. Staring blankly into the steaming cup.

"I'm so sorry," Candice began remorsefully.

…--…--…

Tina decided to use her lunch break to go and pick some of her things up from her house. What used to be her house anyway. She figured Bette wouldn't be home yet because it was still early and she rarely ever took off work early for anything.

When Tina pulled into the driveway she didn't notice Bette's car next to hers because this was so routine to her. It felt normal. She _did _notice the old powder blue truck parked on the curb but just passed it off as belonging to someone over at Jenny's. She opened the door and it felt as if someone had just knocked all of the air out of her lungs. Bette and Candice were sitting on the couch. Not only was she surprised to see Bette home but to actually have _Candice _with her. She thought Bette was actually sorry for cheating on her, but here she was sitting with that bitch like she didn't even exist.

Both women looked up the instant the door opened and the air in the room suddenly got thick and heavy. Bette's head rushed. Tina was going to take this the wrong way, she knew it.

"Tina, I-I can explain! Ca-…" Bette stood up and ran up to her but Tina shook her head furiously, tears already in her eyes.

"Save it," She muttered and stormed out.

Bette followed her out to her car and stood in the way so Tina couldn't open the driver's side door.

"Get out of my way Bette!" She screamed, frustrated. Wanting nothing more than to get as far away from this place as she could.

"No! Tina, nothing is going on between Candice and I anymore! She just wanted to talk, I swear!" She tried to convince the blonde as she grabbed her shoulders tightly.

Tina tried to get out of her grasp. She didn't need this. She didn't need to be here, she didn't need to see them together, and most of all she didn't need Bette touching her. "Let go of me! Let go of me _now_!"

Bette wouldn't listen. She tried to pull her into a hug but Tina slid to the ground sobbing loudly. She knelt down next to her and this time she was actually able to hold her. She kissed her head. "I am so sorry." She cried, tears running down her cheeks. "I love you so much. I-I never wanted to hurt you."

Tina looked up at her shakily. "Then why did you?"

TBC?

Yea—Crappy title, I know. It's just that I used up all my other good names. Tell me if this is worth continuing or not. If you're one of my usual readers then I want you guys to review the hell outta this thing. And if you're not, well, review anyway. Sorry if this sucked, but you try writing a fic for a show you've only seen 14 eps of. Can't, can ya? Lol

Nicole


End file.
